Instant Pot Chicken Wild Rice

There's something about the sound of the Instant Pot hissing to life that makes a weeknight feel intentional. Last November, I threw together this chicken and wild rice soup on a gray afternoon when the house felt cold, and by the time dinner rolled around, the whole place smelled like comfort. The kind of meal that doesn't ask for much—just honest ingredients and a little patience—but delivers something that feels like it took hours to make. My kids actually asked for seconds, which never happens.

I made this for my neighbor one January when she'd just come home from the hospital, and watching her sit at my kitchen counter with a steaming bowl told me everything I needed to know. There's no restaurant version of this—it's purely homemade, the kind of thing that says you actually cared enough to use your Instant Pot instead of ordering takeout.

Ingredients

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (1 lb): Thighs stay juicier under pressure, but breasts cook faster if you're in a rush—either way, they'll shred into tender pieces that disappear into the broth.
• Carrots, celery, and yellow onion (1 cup each, diced): This is your aromatic base, and dicing them fairly uniform means they soften at the same time instead of some pieces turning to mush.
• Garlic (3 cloves, minced): Fresh garlic makes a real difference here—the jarred stuff never quite hits the same when you're going for comfort.
• Uncooked wild rice blend (3/4 cup, rinsed): Rinsing removes excess starch and helps it cook evenly; the blend usually contains brown rice too, which adds color and texture.
• Low-sodium chicken broth (6 cups): Low-sodium lets you control the saltiness instead of ending up with a soup that tastes like a salt lick.
• Heavy cream (1/2 cup, optional): This is for when you want the soup silkier and richer—skip it and you still have something delicious, just lighter.
• Dried thyme and parsley (1 tsp each): These dried herbs bloom beautifully under pressure and are way less finicky than fresh herbs that can turn bitter.
• Bay leaf, black pepper, kosher salt, olive oil: Bay leaf adds depth, salt and pepper are obvious, and olive oil gets the vegetables started properly in that first sauté.
• Cornstarch slurry (2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp cold water, optional): Use this only if you want the soup thicker; it's not necessary, but it's there if you need it.
• Fresh parsley for garnish: A handful of fresh green on top wakes the whole bowl up and gives you something bright to look at.

Instructions

Sauté your way to flavor:

Set your Instant Pot to Sauté mode, add the olive oil, then tumble in your diced onion, carrots, and celery. You want them to soften and turn a bit translucent at the edges—about 4 to 5 minutes of stirring, and you'll notice the kitchen already starting to smell like something good is happening. Once they're there, add your minced garlic and let it toast for just a minute until fragrant, but don't let it brown or it turns bitter.

Build your soup base:

Add the chicken breasts, wild rice, chicken broth, thyme, parsley, bay leaf, salt, and pepper all at once. Stir everything together so the rice isn't clumped on the bottom—this is important because clumped rice cooks unevenly and you'll end up with some grains still hard and others mushy.

Pressure cook:

Lock that lid down, flip the valve to Sealing, and set it to Manual or Pressure Cook on High for 25 minutes. The pot will take a few minutes to build pressure, and that's when you can take a breath and do something else for a bit.

Release the pressure thoughtfully:

When the timer goes off, let the pot sit for 10 minutes of natural release—this is the gentle part where the pressure drops on its own without you forcing it. After 10 minutes, carefully turn the valve to Venting to release any remaining pressure; it'll hiss and steam, which is exactly what's supposed to happen.

Shred and finish:

Fish out the bay leaf with a spoon, then carefully remove the chicken with tongs or a slotted spoon. It should be so tender it falls apart at the touch of two forks—shred it right there and drop the pieces back into the pot where they belong. If you want creaminess, stir in the heavy cream now; if you want it thicker, make that cornstarch slurry and whisk it in, then let the soup bubble on Sauté mode for a couple minutes until it reaches the consistency you're after.

Taste and serve:

Give it a final taste and adjust the salt or pepper as needed—remember, it's easier to add more seasoning than to take it back out. Ladle it into bowls and scatter fresh parsley on top like you mean it.

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My mother-in-law tasted this once and asked for the recipe, which felt like the highest compliment because she doesn't usually ask for recipes—she just nods and says it's good. There's something about a soup that makes people feel seen, like you took the time to think about what would make them feel better.

Why This Works in an Instant Pot

The pressure environment cooks the wild rice evenly and thoroughly in a way stovetop simmering sometimes struggles with—you'd normally need 45 minutes to an hour, but here it's done in 25. The chicken steams gently in that moist heat and stays tender instead of drying out, and the vegetables soften without falling apart into submission. Everything happens at the same time, which is the whole point of owning one of these machines.

Variations That Actually Work

I've made this soup about a dozen different ways depending on what's in my fridge or what kind of mood I'm in. Mushrooms are excellent—sauté a handful of sliced cremini or baby bella with the vegetables and they add an earthy note that makes the whole thing deeper. Spinach goes in after everything's cooked, just wilts right in and disappears. Someone once suggested adding a splash of white wine to the vegetables during the sauté step, which sounds fancy but is just a good instinct. Some nights I use rotisserie chicken from the store to save 10 minutes, which means you only pressure cook for 15 minutes instead of 25—it's not cheating, it's being smart about your time.

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

This soup keeps beautifully in the refrigerator for three days, and honestly tastes better on day two when all the flavors have had time to get to know each other. The freezer is trickier if you've added cream, because cream can separate when thawed, but the soup base freezes perfectly fine on its own for up to three months. I usually freeze it in half portions so I'm not defrosting a giant batch when I just want a quick lunch.

• Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of extra broth if it's thickened too much in the fridge.
• If you froze it without cream, add the cream when you reheat it instead of before freezing.
• A squeeze of fresh lemon juice right before serving brightens the whole bowl.

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This is the kind of soup that reminds you why cooking at home matters—it's cheaper than eating out, faster than you'd think, and tastes like someone who actually cares made it for you. Every time someone eats this, I get to feel like I did something right.

Recipe FAQs

→ Can I use rotisserie chicken?

Yes, use cooked rotisserie chicken and reduce the pressure cook time to 15 minutes.

→ Is this soup gluten-free?

It is gluten-free as written, but ensure your broth and wild rice blend are certified gluten-free.

→ How can I make it dairy-free?

Simply omit the heavy cream; the soup remains delicious and flavorful without it.

→ What can I add for extra flavor?

Mushrooms or spinach are excellent additions to boost flavor and nutrition.

→ Can I freeze the leftovers?

Yes, let it cool completely before freezing. Note that cream may separate upon reheating.